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For the 2013 Flower Show—which opens on March 2—PHS will once again mount an exhibit. Entitled “PHS@185,” the PHS Exhibit at the heart of the Flower Show floor will celebrate the organization’s mission since 1827 through inspiring 21st-century designs. A vertical garden of kale and collards in various hues will exemplify how urban gardeners can use innovative techniques for food production in small spaces. The kale wall also highlights the work of the PHS City Harvest program, which supports a network of community gardeners who raise fresh produce that feeds more than 1,000 families in need each week during the growing season.

A gentle reflecting pool will represent PHS’s partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department in storm water management projects. PHS and PWD are utilizing green infrastructure, such as street-side plantings and rain gardens, to absorb storm water, reduce flooding, and help clean the region’s rivers and streams.

In fanciful lawn areas, above and below, visitors will see symbolic goats and sheep happily grazing in the PHS Exhibit. Much like the British tradition of using sheep to keep lawns nicely trimmed, PHS promotes sustainable, organic practices to control invasive plants, maintain lawns and manage landscapes.

Other elements of the exhibit will explore new ideas in garden design, such as rooting plants in glass spheres; the aesthetic and environmental value of tree plantings; and the beauty of ornamental horticulture in public landscapes.

To mark the British theme of the 2013 Flower Show, a stunning, 21-foot-long green wall planted in a Union Jack pattern will be created by Ecowalls Inc., of Flemington, N.J., at the PHS Exhibit – a “Brilliant!” photo op for show visitors. See how the wall was made in the video below!